Bates promotes Almon Lam as Greater China ECD and expands regional responsibility

The agency stated that the promotion of Lam (pictured) coincides with the promotion of fellow creative leader Hendra Lesmono to ECD Southeast Asia. Together with Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar, the existing India cluster ECD, the trio forms a regional creative council.

The council’s priorities center around growing existing clients and new business, as well as attracting and developing the best talent.

Lam will maintain his Hong Kong ECD role as well as the new Greater China position, and will work with the creative teams in Bates' offices in China and Taiwan. He will also collaborate closely with the ECDs in Taiwan and Shanghai: Kenny Chien and Antonius Chen, respectively.

“Almon has always stepped up in engaging with the creative teams from our offices in Greater China as well as our network," said Chiu, Bates’s Greater China CEO. "In line with our plans to move towards a Greater China marketing solutions agency model.”

Bates's clients in Greater China include Cheung Kong Properties, Café de Coral, Shanghai General Motors. The agency holds HSBC regional accounts in Hong Kong, Indonesia and the Philippines. 

An ex-Bates Hong Kong and Shanghai employee, Lam returned to the agency in 2010. Prior to that, he worked in Shanghai at BBDO as ECD from 2004 to 2010 and at Bates from 2003. Lam worked in Hong Kong before moving up to Shanghai at Euro RSCG, BBDO, Bates and Ogilvy & Mather, and has served a wide spectrum of international and local accounts including P&G, HSBC, Pepsi, Visa, Sony, GE, KFC, Pizza Hut, CSL1010 and Lay’s.

His creative works have been widely awarded in international award shows, including a GE campaign that won the Effie China Grand Prix, and a Gillette campaign that won a gold award in the Times Asia Pacific Awards in Taiwan.

In February, Richard Yu, executive creative director of Bates Taiwan resigned and joined ADK Taiwan as its chief creative officer and creative consultant of ADK China Network. Sonal Dabral, India chairman and regional executive creative director at Bates resigned last March and has joined DDB Mudra group as its chairman-chief creative officer.